The 3 It’s

Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk

The 3 It’s

by Phil Wade

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17).

These two verses contain one of the greatest summaries of the Gospel ever written. The verses clearly identify God’s power to save any who believe regardless of nationality or condition. By the time we finish our study, it will be very clear why Paul was never ashamed of the Gospel and why we as believers must stand boldly and unashamed as well.

I. It’s the Good News from God Himself

The fact that the Gospel (Good News) was given by God Himself made Paul unashamed of the Gospel. However, Paul had every reason to run from sharing the Gospel: Paul lived in a day of moral degeneracy, Paul was a Jew by nationality, the Gospel Paul preached was almost unbelievable, and Paul was most often rejected by whole communities. You and I both know there were times he could have given up and ran away to hide. Let us get really practical, many today are ashamed of the Gospel—fearing intellectual and social shame (1 Corinthians 1:25, 1 Corinthians 3:18-20, 2 Timothy 1:7-9, Proverbs 29:25).

II. It’s the Power of God to Save

Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel because of its power to save (Romans 1:16). God, in His power, could choose to wipe us all off the face of this planet, but God, in His power, chooses to love us. God’s nature is love, compassion, grace, and salvation. God saves all who believe and commit themselves to the Gospel. We are to exempt no one from the Gospel regardless of race, color, condition, circumstance, or depravity (John 7:37).

III. It’s the Revelation of God’s Righteousness

Man has a serious problem—he thinks he can do good enough to become acceptable to God. He thinks he walks righteously enough to be acceptable to God. The problem is this is just not true. Another problem is in order for man to cohabit with God, he must become righteous (Romans 1:17). So how can this happen? The

answer to man’s problem is faith. When a person believes and places their faith in the Gospel, God counts this faith as righteous. This is a belief that our unrighteousness is made righteous through the shed blood of God’s son Jesus Christ. This is called justification (Romans 5:1). Therefore, the righteousness of God is revealed continually.

Paul was not ashamed because the Good News he preached was from God Himself. The Good News had and still has the power to save. It has revealed the righteousness of God and still does! If we believe it and have placed our faith in it, then boldness is ours. Being ashamed is not an option. If you have not believed and placed your faith in this Gospel, the provision has been made for you to become righteous in the eyes of God through His Son Jesus.

About The Author

Pastor Phil Wade and his wife Keli have two children and five grandchildren. His passion in returning to Rome is to give back to Rome the investment they made in him as he served as lead Pastor of Northside Church since 2012.